Photographing bears and wolves in MN

[dbricks]

Anyone here found a good place for photographing wolves or bears in the wild in Minnesota? I've heard of the Vincent Shute Wildlife Sanctuary and it sounds like a good place to photograph black bears. The bears are wild, but many of them hang around the Wildlife Sanctuary. Any other places?

Also, I know the International Wolf Center is in Ely, but those wolves aren't wild. Anyone found a good place to photograph wolves in the wild in MN?

I feel like this is a shot in the dark, but thought I'd try. Thanks in advance.

[Larry Weinman]

The Shutte center is a good place. You can shoot bears from a raised platform for the cost of general admission but if you want to shoot from ground level and be right with the bears the cost is much higher, I think it is about $175. Tripods are not allowed on the raised deck but monopods are. I haven't been to the center in a while but all of the information about photography is on their website.

[dbricks]

Did you find that the view from the raised platform was worthwhile?

[Hoosier Writer]

Yes, you will see many bears at the VS sanctuary. I have been there three times, always in August and there was always 30 - 40 bears around the platform at one time. The platform is only 10 feet in the air so, yes, you can get some great shots. Cubs, sows, boars, and yearlings all come in for the free food. There are trees surrounding the platform and some of the yearlings like to climb up in them, so you can be as close as ten feet away at eye level. The place is only open from 5PM until dusk each day. It closes Sept 2nd this year (2012). Bring good insect repellant because the bears aren't the only critters looking for a free meal!